We Don't Belong Here: What They Become
by TheMostRandomOfRandomWriters
Summary: All Ivy wanted was to do was a little investigating. The last thing she wanted was to get mixed up with S.H.I.E.L.D. and a friend who thought she was dead. Part of the "We Don't Belong Here" series.
1. Chapter 1

_Note from the writer: the two following stories were sent to my as audio recordings, separately. I have typed them out and posted them here as requested in their attachments._

You know that moment when your whole life is almost perfect and then something absolutely horrible happens to you and your existence as you know it changes?

That pretty much sums up the last couple days of my life.

I had a job as a theater actress and getting ready to graduate from high school. Some videos of me singing had gone viral, gaining me enough attention to ensure people would want to hire me to sing and act in their productions. Things were going great.

Then it all went wrong. Very, very wrong.

I had been singing at a fundraiser that night with my friend Edward.

I'd had a few songs left and had called him up onto the stage.

"And here's my dear friend Edward," I said. "Here to sing a duet with me, from that musical we were in together, _Phantom of the _Opera."

There were applause and cheers.

"See, though, Edward actually didn't want to play the Phantom. He originally tried out for the role of Raoul." I, personally, think his personality is very Raoulish. "Shall we give him a chance at it?"

More applause.

We both broke into "All I Ask of You".

The song was practically ingrained onto my memory. Each crescendo, each high note. I could turn my mind off.

A few people had cell phones out, recording our song.

We threw ourselves into our parts, Edward gripping my hands at the right times, even getting down on his knees the way Hadley Fraser does in the 25th anniversary version.

We've both been praised for our "incredible chemistry" online. Basically, everyone seems to ship us. This song would probably send our shippers over the edge.

Applause. Lots of applause.

Several tween girls were already uploading their cell phone videos to youtube. I rolled my eyes. No matter how clearly you say that recording is not allowed, people do it anyhow.

That's not an excuse for them. It's just a fact.

"And that's all for tonight," I said, giving them my brightest smile and a bow. "Good night!"

I walked offstage, followed by Edward.

"You were absolutely fantastic," he said. "Not like you aren't always."

"Aw, thanks. You were great yourself."

I pulled a light sweater on over my formal dress. My parents were coming to pick me up – I had to be on a bus in a few hours to head to New York.

"Are the rumors about you auditioning for a part in a show in New York true?" asked Edward.

"One comment on Twitter about going to New York on vacation to see some Broadway shows and look what happens." I made a mental note to be more careful about the things I said online. And maybe get rid of my Twitter entirely. "I'm signed up for Yeston and Kopit's _ Phantom_. That'll be for a while, depending on how long the show runs. No, I'm not auditioning for anything in New York."

"What, they haven't asked you to go on Broadway yet? No one's asked you to be in _Phantom of the Opera_ on Broadway or West End?"

I laughed. "No. I wish, but I'm hardly ready for that."

"Why not? Your appearance would bring people in. Your singing is magnificent. And your acting's okay too. Why wouldn't they come inviting you to audition?"

"Because my acting is fine. It's not fantastic, or great, or really even all that good if I'm being honest. Especially by Broadway and West End standards."

"Don't be such a perfectionist."

If only it were perfectionism that were my problem.

The two of us walked outside together.

A cold wind whipped at my legs.

My parents' car was in front.

"This is where I say goodbye," I said. "See you in a few weeks."

"Get one of those roles for me. I'll come and see you."

We both parted ways, Edward walking to his car and me to my parents.

"Hi!" said Mom through the window. "How was it?"

"About the same as always." I opened the door.

There was a loud sound behind me. Before I could react, another one.

My parents sat slumped in their seats. Blood sprayed the windshield.

Something struck me in the back of the neck. Everything went black.

I woke up to the sensation of being sharply jolted.

"She's still out," said a male voice somewhere above me.

I became very suddenly awake, eyes snapping open, lashing out at everything around me. My fist connected with a jaw. Someone released a shout of pain.

Something stabbed into the back of my neck. For a moment, I twisted, kicking and scratching at the source of the sharp object.

Then I went limp. Not unconscious, just limp. I couldn't move.

I was pulled out of a van. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a river behind me, with water rushing past.

A camera was shoved in my face. "This is Ariel Dalton," said a male voice. "As one of HYDRA's enemies, she will be executed."

A weight tugged at my leg, but I couldn't see what it was.

"Say goodbye, Ariel."

I couldn't say anything. I could barely breathe, let alone do anything else.

My feet dragged through the rocks and dirt, toward the river. They were going to throw me into the river, and there was nothing I could do about it.

I was shoved hard and hit the water.

It was icy cold, but failed to wake up any part of my body. My head went under almost immediately as the current pulled me along underneath, weighed down by the heavy object and going straight to the bottom.

Simmons's remark on _Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D._ about drowning came back to me. That it's not so bad.

Had she been there, I would have assured her it was _not_. It was agony, using the only energy I had to gasp for air when there was none, and never would be again.

Something wrapped around my arm, tugging me back, up toward the surface.

My head broke out of the water. Something – someone? – grabbed me around the middle, hauling me up onto the bank.

I couldn't spit the water out. I could only lie there and gasp, and barely that.

I was rolled onto my side. The water began to drip down the face of my face. I passed out again.

I woke up again lying on top of something hard. Not a floor. A bench? Someone had covered with with a blanket.

This time, I lay still for a moment before the realization of what had happened came flooding back. That joke was _not_ intentional.

I opened my eyes.

I was in some kind of shed, lying on, as I had guessed, a bench. Sitting on the other side of the shed, a few feet away, was Grant Ward.

"Hey," he said. "How are you feeling?"

Had he been the one to pull me from the water? He must have.

That would mean he wanted something. I didn't want to know what that something was.

I started to sit up, only for a wave of pain to hit my skull. I sank back down.

"Side effect of the stuff they gave you. Are you feeling any others?"

There was a moment of silence. I glared at him. I probably should have been grateful, but it's a little harder to be grateful to him than it would be to, say, Loki. At least Loki didn't join a crazy, Nazi based organization. No, I'm not _really_ a Ward fan.

"Exactly what happened to me?" I asked.

"I don't think you're quite –"

"I just saw my parents shot and was nearly murdered by HYDRA. I think I'm entitled to an answer, Ward." A little part of my mind had shut off my ability to feel grief. All I felt was a dull, horrible ache.

"They wanted revenge. I'm sorry. If I'd had any idea, I would have warned you."

Yes, I'm sure you would, because you're such a loyal person who always tries to do what's best for everyone... not.

"You were actually the last one they went after that night."

"The last one?"

"Ivy..."

"What about Ivy? She's dead."

"Her parents. They were found dead at their house. Her brother is in the hospital."

I could hardly believe it. I'd hated the Williams family, after they'd kicked Ivy out of the house. But now they were dead?

"What do you want?" I asked Ward. "Because you didn't save me out of the goodness of your heart."

"I want information from you."

That was about what I had expected. Wouldn't it have been easier to get it from Jack and Miranda? Or Edward?

I noticed a nasty scar on his face – teeth marks? Where had _that_ come from?

His neck also had a burn on it, blistered and gross. Newer than the teeth marks.

Something told me he already_ had_ tried to pay a visit to Jack and Miranda. Hence the burn. Between the two of them, Miranda and Jack could deal with the Hulk. They probably had a plan for it and everything. After hearing the details of their plan for escaping S.H.I.E.L.D., I had become convinced there was nothing they couldn't plan out.

I sensed Ward probably wouldn't give the details of how it had worked out.

"Hate to break it to you, but there isn't a chance in this reality or any other that you're getting any information off of me. I don't have anything you'd want. I've been in this universe for a few months now, and I can't leave."

He pulled me up into a sitting position against the wall. The sudden jolt sent a wave of pain through my skull. "Really." He didn't sound like he believed me. "Are you sure about that?"

"Of course."

"I'd think long and hard and be _absolutely_ sure first."

"What, do you think I'm lying?" If only I was. I might know how it could play out then.

"It's always a possibility. Unfortunately, I've got somewhere to be in the next few minutes. You're not going to be walking anywhere for a day or two after that stuff, so don't bother trying anything."

The moment he stepped out the door, I started trying to push myself off the bench.

It worked, except for that I fell straight onto the floor, face smacking into the floorboards. That hurt... a lot.

I started to crawl toward the door very slowly. It took me what I later guessed to be ten minutes to crawl there – and it was only seven feet away.

The door was, of course, locked. And there was no question of my climbing out the window.

I was debating what to do next when the door opened again.

"We're going now," said Ward.


	2. Chapter 2

Ivy here.

My apartment – sorry, my _flat_ – in England was finally starting to feel like home. I only got visits from customers who wanted information from the Fortune Seller every couple weeks now. The customers who I chose to communicate with called me on the phone.

I was in the middle of cooking dinner when my cell phone rang.

I covered the lid of my pot of tomato soup and picked up the phone. "Hello."

"Fortune Seller?" asked a somewhat familiar male voice. What was his name again? Oh, yeah, right. Lance Hunter. "I have some information for you."

I glanced over at Phillip in his crib. "Yes?"

Hunter listed off several cities in America. "There are some HYDRA bases nearby these, with unusual energy signatures in the last several months." He gave me the locations.

"Thank you. Goodbye." I hung up.

In an hour, I was packed.

I picked up Phillip out of his cradle, wrapping him in a grey blanket. I could have left him with a neighbor, but didn't want him out of my sight.

I shifted him slightly and pressed a button on my watch.

A moment later, I was standing in the middle of a street, my baby son on one arm, my other holding a suitcase.

No one even gave me a second glance.

There's a wonderful thing I've discovered over the last few months. People don't notice weird stuff going on around them because they're so focused on their other surroundings. You know that video online where there's a group of basketball players, and you're too busy watching them to notice the guy in the gorilla suit walking through the middle of the group? It's like that.

"All right," I said to myself. "First off, find a place to stay. Second, find the HYDRA base."

I quickly located a hotel and set myself up in a room – my work was a _very_ well paying one, if a bit dangerous.

I spent the rest of the day researching the first base as best I could without typing in anything that might appear suspicious in internet history.

There was, of course, nothing online. Because it would be too easy.

At seven, it had gotten dark.

A knock sounded on my door.

I glanced in the mirror, adjusting my blond wig, and walked to the door.

"Hello?" said a female voice. It sounded familiar, I couldn't place it...

"Who is it?" I asked, peering through the little hole.

"Room service."

I regonized the voice. What was Skye doing here? Of all the places to pick first... "I put the do not disturb sign up. I just arrived a few hours ago and there's really no need for cleaning. Thanks anyway." I did my best British accent that might have fooled Skye but would never have fooled anyone from Britain – it certainly hadn't while I was there. I'd tried at first but failed so miserably I'd given it up and told everyone I was Canadian.

She sighed. "I'm looking for the Fortune Seller."

Why _now_? "Who? I'm sorry, I don't know who you're talking about."

"S.H.I.E.L.D. thinks you do, Miss Ward."

I regretted taking on Ward's last name. It had seemed like a good idea at the time – take on the name of someone I loathed. Who'd expect me to? Now I just hated it. "S.H.I.E.L.D.? As in HYDRA? The terrorist organization? All I know about fortune tellers is that I've never met one who actually predicted something that ever happened to me." I'd never visited a fortune teller, so that was true.

Phillip started crying.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what you're talking about and what's going on. I have to take care of my son."

I walked across the room to pick up Phillip.

The door banged open.

I scooped up Phillip and spun around.

Skye stood in the doorway, aiming a gun at me.

I set down Phillip. "Don't worry, Sweetie, Mommy will take care of this." I walked toward Skye. "Look, I'm sure there's been some kind of misunderstanding."

"No, I don't think so." Agent May stepped in after her.

Wow. Two S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. I felt honored and slightly nervous. Skye, I could deal with. Agent May, not so much.

"Look, I don't want any trouble." I kept up the accent. "I'm not causing any. Leave me be."

"That's not the way this works," said Agent May.

How unfortunate.

I picked up Phillip. "What do you want?"

"You, with us. Now."

I decided that it would be best to do what she said. For now.

"For now" ended the second Skye put her gun back where it belonged and tried to take Phillip from me.

I rammed my knee into her stomach and used my free arm to elbow her in the face. Then I ran.

Footsteps pounded behind me.

I decided to beg Skye's forgiveness later and started screaming for help as I raced down the hallway.

Something hit me in the back.

My knees gave out and I collapsed forward.

I stared up at Skye for a moment as she took Phillip.

"His name's Phillip," I said, fighting hard to stay conscious. "Be careful with him, Skye, he's premature and kind of fragile."

And then everything went black.

I woke up in a sitting position.

It took a moment to remember what had happened.

I opened my eyes to find myself staring at yet another dear old friend.

"Hello, Director Coulson," I said. I was inside Ward's old cell. Great, just great.

"Who are you, exactly?"

I didn't answer him for a moment, instead debating whether I should go for the truth right away or not.

I decided to wait for a bit and just play along. "The Fortune Seller. I could see the future, kind of, and I was in a tough spot. I figured I'd make some money with the world's only accurate fortune telling."

"What's your name?"

Seriously. They hadn't guessed? "Where's my son?"

"Answer my question."

"Irene Ward." I probably should have picked a name with different initials from my own, but I would never have remembered to respond to my name if I hadn't picked something a bit similar.

"Any relation to a Grant Ward?"

"No." For which I am very thankful.

He studied my face for a moment. "One of my agents is keeping an eye on your son."

I had to wonder, which one had he handed Phillip off to? Skye?

"How can you see the future?"

"When I was a little kid, I was exposed to a crack in time and space, somehow. I didn't really develop the ability until a few years ago, though. I tried to contain it as best I could, until lately. Then I was pregnant with Phillip, and I needed money."

"By selling it to criminals?"

I shrugged. "I only give them the things that won't hurt anyone and will probably save a few lives in the process. As far as I'm concerned, I'm doing the world a favor and making decent money off it."

"You remind me of someone."

"Really, who?"

"Someone who had the same abilities as you."

Time to quit hiding. What was the use? "I don't think there's anyone with the same abilities as me." I reached up and gave the wig a hard tug, yanking it off my head and exposing my bright red hair. I also dropped the British accent. "Hello, again, Director Coulson. It's nice to see you again."

I've seen shocked looks on people's faces before.

Director Coulson's was one of the best yet.

He just stared. "_Ivy_?"

I nodded.

"You're dead."

"The reports of my death may have been slightly... overstated. Just like yours were, once upon a time."

"_Who are you working for_?!" he yelled.

"Myself, Director. I never meant to trick anyone. I really was dying. My friend the Doctor saved me, but he said I needed to stay off of Earth for a while."

He stared at me.

"I can prove it. The first time I met your team was in Peru. I fell out of a tree and landed directly in front of Ward. Who, by the way, I didn't know was a traitor at the time. Otherwise I would have tried to kick him on the way down or something."

Director Coulson stared at me for a moment. He got up from the chair. "Whatever kind of trick this is, it won't work."

"Ask me a question, Director. Something only I would know."

"I don't have to. If anyone is crazy enough to pull off a plot like this, they would have prepared for it. We will find out what's going on."

I decided to keep my mouth shut for once.

He left.

I stayed in my position against the wall for a moment, staring at the wall blocking my view.

My teleporter was gone – no doubt Fitz was trying to take it apart and see how it worked. I hadn't seen him before he'd recovered from his coma enough to communicate. I wished I could have, to apologize.

Something told me I'd be doing a lot of apologizing over the next few days.

The wall went clear.

Simmons walked in, glaring at me. "I need a blood sample," she said.

I extended my arm. "Hello, Agent Simmons."

She reached down and took a blood sample. "You're not Ivy. Ivy's dead."

"And you don't think the Doctor could have saved me from a stab wound, Agent Simmons?"

Her eyebrows shot up her forehead. "What?"

"I was there, I think I remember the whole thing."

"You're a clone or a robot or... something."

"Why can't I be Ivy?"

"Because she wouldn't have made us worry the way we did." She straightened up. "She wouldn't have tricked us. She would have told us."

"It was dangerous to tell you, Simmons. Long story short, I couldn't come back. How was I going to pass on the news?"

"You could have if you wanted to." She spun on her heel and left.

The wall appeared again.

They were going to kill me when they eventually figured it out... if they ever did. I wasn't sure which would be worse.

So the fact I'd always been truthful and honest with them was now working against me? That was... new.

I stood up and walked back to the chair. My head hurt but not so much that I couldn't function. I'd been through much worse.

At that moment, the wall slid away again and Skye sat in the chair opposite me.

I was getting all kinds of visitors today.

Skye stared at me for a moment. "You're not Ivy. You couldn't be Ivy."

"The first time I met you was on a bench. I was alone. You thought I had some kind of mutant ability to heal after I was shot on live TV." That incident seemed so long ago. "The first thing you said to me was 'okay, act normal'."

Skye stared at me for a moment.

"We met again in Peru, where I told you about everything."

Skye's hands shook slightly. She looked very, very angry.

"Ward used to be kept in this cell, before you released him to his brother. I'm sorry about that whole mess, by the way."

"I don't know who you are, and how you learned all those things, but I am going to find out."

"I'm sure you will, as soon as Agent Simmons comes back with proof that it's me. What will it take for you to believe me, Skye?"

She stiffened at my use of her name. "More than all of that information."

I stood up and walked to the wall.

The door above opened.

Director Coulson came down slowly, eyes locked on me.

"Your DNA matches Ivy's exactly."

Wow, I wonder why.

"Tell me something only Ivy would know."

"The first time I ever met you, I was at a choir retreat, and you'd heard that Agent Barton had turned up nearby. I had seen him. If you want further proof, there is _one_ person who knows I'm alive. I told him, just in case of emergency. Call Edward, you remember him. Also, my friend Carmen would be able to help. She knows too. The others don't."

Director Coulson just stared at me.

"The Doctor had some kind of device that saved my life," I said. "He told me I couldn't return to Earth for a little while because all the contact with you could rip a hole in the universe. It's safe now, for a little while. I didn't tell you because I thought it was too dangerous for anyone to know, and I didn't really have any way to let you know without coming back."

Skye stared at me in shock. "How do we know it isn't a clone with her memories?"

"What do you think you're in, a comic book? You're from a... somewhat realistic TV show," I pointed out. "That's what I said to you before."

The director deactivated the wall between us. "Welcome back."


	3. Chapter 3

Ariel narrating here.

I thought Ward was going to to turn me over to HYDRA when he loaded me into the back of that van.

We drove for a few hours before he stopped.

He got out of the drivers seat and walked around to my side.

He pulled me out. "Tell Coulson how I helped you," he said.

We were in bright sunlight, in the middle of a town.

He helped me walk to a bench at the side of the road and sat me down.

"Once you can walk, go call this number." He pressed a piece of paper into my hand, along with some money for the phone.

"Trying to get in with Skye?" I probably should have felt more thankful than I did. It's rather hard to feel grateful to Ward, though.

"Yes, but that's not why I helped you."

"Then elaborate for me."

"Because I'm a fan of yours. As is Dr. Whitehall."

"Thanks?" I don't think that was the reason, but I would accept that.

He got back into the van and drove away.

A few people passed, but no one really seemed to notice me.

Eventually, I began to regain the ability to stand up and walk around. I made my way to the nearest phone and called the number.

"Hello?" asked a female voice on the other end suspiciously. Skye.

"Hi. This is Ariel Dalton."

"There you are! What happened to you?"

I detailed everything that had happened.

"Don't go anywhere, we'll send someone to get you."

Where would I go exactly?

I did wander out to the bridge near the phone and stand over it, looking into the dark water below.

My parents were dead. Shot.

It echoed in my mind over and over again.

Dead, dead, dead. What would I do now?

My fingers gripped the railing tighter. Overcoming all of my grief was a sense of terror.

I had HYDRA hunting me – I'd just be a target and put everyone near me in danger.

Who knew, they might be looking for me _right now_. Scratch that. Of course they would be.

What a day of surprises this was turning out to be. I'd expecting an exciting weekend, but this wasn't what I'd been expecting.

I stepped back from the railing and walked down onto the rocky shore of the river.

I picked up a rock and weighed it in my hand for a moment, then threw it into the water.

I sank down on the rocks and stared into the water.

I waited for a while. I almost worried that they weren't coming. Then I spotted Agent Triplett on the opposite bank.

Triplett approached me, walking down the rocky beach. "Ariel Dalton?"

I nodded.

"Agent Triplett With S.H.I.E.L.D."

Ivy here.

I followed them upstairs to the main area of the base.

Hunter greeted us upstairs. "This is the Fortune Seller?"

"Irene Ward," I corrected. "And you must be Lance Hunter. It's nice to meet you in person at last."

"In person?" asked Agent Coulson.

"I heard the rumors and I contacted her to see if they were real. She predicted the whole mess with Creel before I even joined you. Though you missed the bit about my partner dying." He shot me a dirty look.

The director and Skye both shot me a sharp look.

"What? I haven't changed_ that_ much. I'm sorry for your loss, Agent Hunter, but I can't predict _everything_. It doesn't work like that."

"Then how does it work?"

"It's complicated." And he'd probably have a few rather strong words for me if he found out how it worked. "Honestly, I don't quite understand it myself."

I followed Skye up to FitzSimmons's lab.

Agent Simmons tackled me with a hug the second I walked through the door. "Ivy! You're alive! I can't believe it!"

Fitz joined her with another hug.

How I had missed those two.

I returned the hugs as best I could.

"What happened to you?" asked Agent Simmons. "The Doctor saved you? Of course he did."

"Yes. He had something on the TARDIS that apparently can help injuries – I don't know how, I passed out."

Agent Simmons shuddered.

"And what happened then?"

"He set me up on a... planet. Kind of. One far away. Then I had to leave, so he arranged an apartment in London for me, which is where I've been living."

"Isn't London wonderful?"

"Yes. I met Sherlock Holmes and John Watson – the government was investigating me. Again."

Agent Simmons squealed. "Sherlock? _Benedict Cumberbatch_ Sherlock?"

I nodded.

She squealed again. "Tell us everything!"

I recounted the whole incident in great detail – it was the least I could do after putting them through everything.

I gave them so much attention I didn't see Skye coming in.

"Glad to see you're okay," she said. "Your friend Ariel is coming in."

"What?" I jumped up, stuttering in confusion. "What do you mean? No, just give me a minute."

I ran down to the room where I had been and retrieved my wig. I pulled it on.

"What are you doing?" asked Skye from behind me.

"I can't tell Ariel. I have to contain everything here. _No one_ who doesn't already know should be told. I'm _Irene_. Not Ivy."

"Why can't you tell anyone?"

"The more people know, the more dangerous it is for everyone who knows."

I ran back up the stairs and into the lab. I checked my reflection in a reflective surface. Ariel wouldn't be fooled by a wig. She was the only one of my friends who knew what had happened to me, though she didn't know about Phillip.

"Why not just tell her?" asked Skye.

"Because the fewer people who know, the better." I didn't have makeup to use on my face.

I pulled off my shoes and put them on the wrong feet – it would change my way of walking and make me less recognizable.

"Did you bring my stuff from the hotel?" I asked Skye.

She nodded and took me to where my suitcase had been left.

I removed a white fedora, and pulled it on over the wig.

"How does it look?"

"...Interesting," said Skye.

"That's good enough."The white fedora didn't really look all that good on me, admittedly. Still, it would help me look different, which was the important bit.

I went back up to the hall.

"Why is she coming here today?"

Skye blinked a little. "You didn't know?"

I shook my head and reached up to adjust my hat.

"Her parents were both shot last night."

My hands dropped. "What?"

"Last night." She hesitated – there was more.

"What else, Skye?"

"I can't tell you, only Director Coulson can."

"Skye, there is nothing you can say to me right that that could _possibly_ make this situation worse than it already is."

She said nothing.

"Where's Phillip?" I asked. In my shock, I'd almost forgotten about him. I mentally scolded myself.

"We've had Agent Morse keeping an eye on him."

"He's been an angel, by the way."

I jumped and spun around.

"So you're Ivy Williams," said Bobbi Morse. "I heard a lot about you."

"Yes, well, please call me the Fortune Seller. I don't want people to find out who I am."

"Okay." She handed Phillip over to me. "He's the calmest little kid I've ever met." She eyed me up and down. "Where are you from?"

"London, right now. It's where I operate my business, though I travel a lot too. Before that, the east coast. I kind of missing living here in the States, but it's better for everyone involved if I stay away, at least for a while."

Footsteps shuffled nearby.

Ariel walked down the hall.

She seemed smaller than when I'd last seen her – and she's four foot eleven inches. Eleven and a half. Her waist length brown hair was tangled and bedraggled. Her dress – some kind of formal-ish red one – had seen better days. She looked like she hadn't slept in a month and her face was red, probably from crying.

It took all of my self control not to run and give her a hug.

She stared at Skye. "Hi."

Skye was there in a second, talking to her.

I turned around, as if talking to Agent Morse. I fixed my eyes on Phillip.

"A friend of yours?" asked Agent Morse in a soft voice.

"Yes. I've known her since I was seven. Not all that well until recently, but..." I didn't make eye contact. "But no one can know. Her parents are dead, and it's because of me."

I walked away, back to the lab.

Simmons was doing something... sciency. With test tubes. (I flunked science, okay?) Agent Coulson stood on the other side of the table, talking to her.

"Oh, Ivy, there's something –"

"I already heard. Ariel's here. Please, don't let anyone tell her who I am."

"I won't. Though you will have to, eventually."

"Not now. It's too soon after what happened to her."

"There's something else you need to know, Ivy."

Oh, no. "What?"

"I think you'd better come to my office."

This sounded bad.

We walked to the office, where I noted the carving on the wall.

"You, of course, knew about that?" said Director Coulson.

"I did know you were carving," I confessed. "I didn't know what it was. Never dreamed it was a map, I thought it was writing."

He sat down and motioned for me to do the same. "There's something else that happened last night. There were more shootings. HYDRA came to your house first. Both your parents... are dead."

I nearly dropped Phillip. Even though I was sitting, it felt as if I was falling.

Neither of us moved or said anything.

It took several minutes to find my voice. "What about Ryan?"

"Your brother is in the hospital. He got out of surgery a few hours ago. They said that he'll make it."

I stood up. "I'm going to see him."

Director Coulson frowned.

"I'll only be a little while. I need to see my brother."

"It would be a shock –"

"I'm his only family now. He needs to know. Ryan can keep a secret." Probably. He hated my guts and wanted no association with me, so why would he tell anyone? "I can teleport, with the watch thing," I added.

Director Coulson nodded. "I hope it goes well for you."

Not half as much as I did.


	4. Chapter 4

Ivy here.

I teleported to the hospital, into the corridors.

It took a little bit to find Ryan's room, but I found it at last.

He stared at me dully as I walked in. "Who are you?" His voice was slurred. He had been propped up on white pillows. There was a tube up his nose and several needles in his arms.

"Don't you remember me?" I sat down by the bed. I was responsible for this. For everything. What a mess.

"No. I'd remember you." My brother smirked.

Seriously? I pulled off the hat. "Are you sure you don't remember me?"

His eyes fell on Phillip. "Yeah, I'd definitely remember you."

I wrapped the blanket around my son a bit more, then pulled off the wig, tucking it into the hat.

"Ivy?" He didn't seem overly surprised. "I'm _definitely_ sleeping. You're dead."

I couldn't tell him. In Director Coulson's office, it had been one thing. Here, it was another. I was brave, sometimes – but I wasn't brave enough for this. "Suppose I am dead." To him.

"What's with the baby? Oh, right, that guy said you were pregnant when you got yourself killed. You'd be alive if you'd come in. Why didn't you come in?"

"You threw me into the street. With the garbage cans. But I forgive you. I've forgiven too much from other people to not forgive you now."

"Isn't that sweet. You know, I almost regret throwing you out like that. I wish I could."

That was better than I'd expected from him. "I'm sorry I did this too you."

"You should be. But what's done is done. And you're dead. What's Heaven like?"

"It's... Heaven."

"Say hi to Mom and Dad for me, when you go back."

"I'm not going yet."

"My guardian angel or something?"

"You know me. I'm like a guard dog. I'm protective because it's embedded inside me, it's a part of my personality." A part of my personality which had served me well and badly at various times of my life.

"Yeah. Don't know what we kept Bucky around for when we had you and your karate black belt."

"How is Bucky?"

"We gave him to that girl, what's her name... Miranda. She insisted on it, and we certainly didn't want him anymore. I think she and that... what's his name, that actor guy, share him or something."

Edward. Of course. I should thank him when I saw him next. That dog had been the only friend I didn't worry about constantly over the last few years. My human friends tended to get into trouble. My German Shepard friend... he could take care of himself, and me.

"You know, sometimes I wish you'd have come back when I threw you out. I think... I don't know. If you had, I think I would have let you back in."

My heart broke.

"Miss?"

I stood up, spinning around, blinking the tears from my eyes that were threatening to flow.

It was a nurse.

"I'm sorry, but you can't be in here."

"I'm a relative."

"I'm sorry, that still doesn't –"

"What? Ivy?" said Ryan.

"I'll be going now, I'm sorry." I left quickly, stepping outside and teleporting back.

I found myself in a deserted corridor.

I sat down and sobbed.

Ariel here.

Skye brought me to Director Coulson's office.

"Sit down," he said.

I sank down into the chair.

My gaze went to my hands in my lap and I started relating the story, slowly, ending with what had happened with Ward.

"Why did Ward help you?" asked Director Coulson.

"I'm not traveling between universes any more. Your guess is probably better than mine. I know nothing about what will happen or about his possible motivations. My personal guess is that he's trying to get back on Skye's good side."

"Probably."

"What happens now?" I was seventeen – my birthday was in three weeks, and I had family to go to. At least I wouldn't have to worry about any of that stuff.

"For the moment, we're trying to find an alien city."

That sounded like something headed for disaster. The last episode I'd seen had been "Face my Enemy", with the freaky May clone. Yes, I skipped all the wall carving stuff. I also haven't seen any of the _Avengers 2_ trailers. So I'm clueless on that.

Ivy here.

I took several deep breaths and rubbed the traces of my lapse in control.

I pressed my watch again and reappeared in the lab.

Agent Simmons jumped and let out a startled yell.

"Just me, Agent Simmons."

"Don't _do_ that! You could give someone a heart attack!"

"Sorry. Didn't think of that."

She took a step back from the microscope. "So, this is your son."

"Yes. Phillip."

"He's premature."

"I grabbed onto an Infinity Stone – don't ask – and as it turns out, it's not very good for your health. It's a wonder they survived."

"They?"

I swallowed. "There was twins. Phillip is the younger one. The older one... Natalia. She went missing from the hospital room."

"I'm sorry."

"I have reason to believe she might be in the area. Near here. Somehow, HYDRA was involved. I was looking for her here."

"Does Director Coulson know?"

I shook my head. "Now isn't the time to bring it up with him. Please don't say anything – I will when he's not so busy." Besides, he might tell Mack or Agent Morse. For now, I don't trust anyone in anything S.H.I.E.L.D.-like except for the remaining members of the original team.

"I won't."

At that moment, Ariel entered the room. "Hello, Agent Simmons."

Her eyes settled on me for a moment. They were big, brown eyes – ones that I'd always found to be expressive of how she was feeling. As an actress, she could pretend one thing, but when she was offstage, her eyes always betrayed how she felt. Now, all I saw was dull shock and despair.

I extended a hand. "Hello, I'm Irene Ward. I'm something of a consultant for S.H.I.E.L.D."

"Hello. I'm Ariel Dalton."

"I know. I'm a fan of yours. I was at your Christmas concert – that one where you did that Doll Aria song. That was beautiful." I had made a special trip to the States just to see it, and I had not been disappointed.

The corner of her mouth quirked up. "Thanks. What do you do, consulting for S.H.I.E.L.D.? Or am I not allowed to know?"

"Oh, you can know. I'm their fortune teller."

Ariel stared at me blankly.

"I can see the future. And when I see something important in the future, I sell it for money."

She continued staring at me blankly. She squinted at me for a moment. "You look... familiar. I must have seen you at that concert."

She wouldn't have. I'd stayed at the back and worn a different wig and makeup. She hadn't come within fifty feet of me at any time, even when she walked out into the audience – she does that sometimes. She even did that thing where you call a random audience member up and sing a duet. The girl she picked actually had a pretty decent voice, though she was so quiet I could barely hear her.

"Ariel," said Agent Simmons, and began to distract her from me.

I made a quick exit.

I eventually found a spot for me and Phillip – down where I'd woken up, in front of Ward's cell. Ward's _former_ cell, rather.

I'd had bad days. This one took the prize for worst day ever.

A door opened and footsteps sounded on the stairs. "Ivy?"

It was Director Coulson.

I got up from the chair.

"We're all heading out, to find the city – I assume you know which one I'm talking about?"

I nodded. The Inhumans City. "You know, a few years ago, something like this would have excited me. And now I just want everything to stop. Oh, don't worry, I'm not going to try another stunt like I did after Skye got hurt. I've got this little guy to take care of, and I have to find his sister. I was so different then, though."

"Would you go back and change things, if you could?"

"I actually could, since I know a time traveler. I even asked him once if he'd let me. But that's not how life works. You move forward and you don't change the past, no matter how much you want to."

"Good for you."

"Thanks. Still, I wouldn't going back for a day, before all this happened. Being me again. Fifteen, not worrying, no guilt. And having my parents..." And then, to my horror, I realized I was crying. I rubbed them away quickly. "I'm sorry."

I walked quickly back up the stairs and right into Ariel.

"Sorry," she mumbled.

"No, my fault, I should pay better attention."

She stared up at me for a moment. "I know this might sound really odd, but have you ever heard of someone named Ivy Williams? It's just that..."

"She's an associate of the Doctor, right? I've met her."

"Thought so. You heard what happened?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I did. News like that travels."

"I shouldn't say this, but I'm almost kind of glad that she avoided what happened. My parents and her parents... it would have been too much for her."

It was too much. If only she could know.

I turned away slightly so Ariel wouldn't see my face – masking emotion isn't something I'm good at. "Yeah, it would be. I'm sorry for your loss."

I'd never seen Ariel look so pained before.

"Ariel, you'll be on the Bus with some of the other agents."

I debated the wisdom of that for the moment – yes, she'd probably be safe. They would keep her in the back when Ward showed up.

"And you too, Irene."

Brilliant. Well, just stay in the back when Ward showed up. And injure him if he got too close.

"Director Coulson!" I exclaimed. "I'm sorry, I've just forgotten something. May I speak to you for a moment?"

He nodded.

We walked around the corner. "Director, Raina cannot know _either_ of us are here. It could... put us into a lot of danger. It's complicated. Is there any way we can..."

"Yes, of course. I'll have Agent May make sure she doesn't see either of you. But about when you get off?"

"I can worry about that."

He handed us off to Agent May.

Skye distracted Raina while we were taken onto the Bus and into a back area.

"I'll come and get you when we land."

"Thank you," said Ariel.

And then followed one of the most... interesting moments of my life. In a room with someone who thought I was dead, and no way to leave without causing suspicion.

"What's the baby's name?" asked Ariel after a little while.

"Phillip."

"Can I hold him please?"

I handed Phillip over.

She stared down at Phillip. He wasn't very old, but he definitely looked like his father.

Ariel began to sing, very softly, probably unconsciously, a sweet little lullaby. I was used to hearing her sing arias and more classical music – complex songs made to impress. This was a song of a whole other sort, something simple, and just as beautiful.

Phillip stared up at her, used to hearing my attempts at singing. I'm not bad, but I'm not very good either. He gradually went to sleep.

Then there was a jolt.

Ariel jumped up.

I stood up too, taking Phillip.

Ariel ran out the door.

I groaned and ran after her. "Ariel, stop, you can't go out there!"

She didn't listen – she never listens to me. Being dead didn't change much.

And of course, she ran right up into Raina. Literally, she collided with her.

Raina's eyes widened. She stared at her for a moment, then at Skye. "Is this who I think it is? Ariel Dalton?"

I stepped behind a door and stifled a groan.

Footsteps. "Ariel, what are you doing here –"

"What was that?"

"I'm a huge fan," said Raina.

Silence for a moment.

"You really can't be here," said Agent May.

Too late now.


	5. Chapter 5

Ivy here.

I waited behind the door as Ward came onto the Bus.

Ariel was shoved next to me.

"That was smart," I said. "Real smart."

"I know. I wasn't thinking. Hey, didn't you have a British accent before?" 

Now who wasn't thinking? I reapplied the accent. "Of course, what would make you think I hadn't?"

"For a moment... never mind."

Ward climbed down and started ordering everyone around.

I went for the taser that I kept inside my jacket. Just in case.

"Oh, and there's one more person," said Raina. "You know Ariel Dalton?"

My heart thudded into my toes.

"Right. Come out, Ariel, I know you're here somewhere watching."

Ariel took a step forward. I pulled her back. "Are you crazy?" I could teleport us off in a moment.

"He doesn't get me, he'll kill everyone. I don't know what he wants, but something tells me it's probably better than death, which is what everyone will get if I don't."

Very, _very_ slightly better. Maybe.

I looked at her, and then at Phillip, and released her arm. I pulled open voluminous jacket that someone had given her, found a hard to spot pocket, and slipped the taser inside.

It was the hardest thing I'd done. Letting go instead of protecting. "God protect you."

Ariel pulled out the taser and dropped it down the neckline of her dress. Then she walked out. "I'm here, Ward." She spat his name like it was a dirty word.

I sank down against the wall as they left.

The moment the door closed, I jumped up.

Everyone stared at me.

Agent May looked most shocked. "You just..."

"Yep. Now, let's get where we're going so I can get her back. After I do that, I will personally insure that he never, _ever_ lays a finger on her again."

Then again, after what Skye did, I wouldn't have to do anything. Still, I'd do something.

Ariel here.

The ride was mostly silent. Ward made no attempt to restrain me or speak to me at all.

I spent the entire ride alternating glares between him and Raina.

Skye nudged me slightly. "What do you think he wants you for?" Her voice was too soft for anyone else to hear.

"I haven't got a _clue_."

"Quiet back there!" ordered Ward.

"What are you going to do, kill us?" asked Skye. "No, I don't think so."

"Whatever you wanted her for, you probably need her in one piece."

Ward nodded. "You, on the other hand..." He took too steps across and grabbed me around the throat, lifting me out of the seat. I gasped and clawed at his hand.

"Ward, stop that!" yelled Skye.

He let go and I collapsed back into the seat.

"Yeah, you're _so_ a fan," I muttered. "Because fans of singers _totally_ choke them."

I was silent for the rest of the ride.

When we landed, Ward grabbed my arm and pulled me onto my feet. "Come on."

He dragged me into their base, and directly to Dr. Whitehall's office. From there, he shoved me into a chair in front of the desk.

Dr. Whitehall stared across at me, face blank.

"Ariel Dalton."

"Nice to see you know my name at least. Ward says you're a fan."

"Yes, I have a copy of your CD."

"Why am I here?"

"Because I want to study you."

Oh, great.

"How did you acquire that voice?"

"The same way everyone else does. Work. Lots of work. And an excellent teacher."

"I want to see if there's anything else to it."

"Believe me, there isn't. I traveled through time and dimensions to an alternate universe and took training from a good teacher, and have continued taking them through my mirror."

The look he gave me was hilarious. "What?"

I whipped out the taser.

Whitehall collapsed onto his desk.

It was very satisfying to see that. I just have to say.

The door burst open. Someone tackled me, knocking me into the desk. My head bashed against the wood. Stars flashed. I slid down.

A hand grabbed the back of my dress, pulling me up and causing the collar to dig into my throat.

I kicked out, missing the first time, the second time connecting with my attacker's leg. The grip relaxed slightly. I pulled away, crawling under the desk and popping up on the other side.

Not one of my more shining moments, I admit. I can do thinking under pressure, but the response is usually a crazy plan, and my crazy plans don't always work.

My mind flew back to an incident from months ago. So many months ago...

"All right, that's enough," I said. "You've done your job."

The man stared at me. "What?"

"It was a test, agent. To see how prompt your reaction time would be. Congratulations, you passed with flying colors."

The agent in black continued staring.

I pulled out my adamantium mirror and bashed it against his head. He staggered back. Another blow to the head made him slump to the floor.

Blows like that could cause permanent brain damage. I should have felt worse than I did.

Now I had to get out of there.

I stole his jacket and his weapons, pulling the jacket on over my dress, which was definitely the worse for wear. A shame, I had rather liked it.

I stared at Whitehall for a second.

I could have killed him and taken revenge. And I wanted to. I wanted to so much.

I could have given him a few more shocks with the taser. I could have hit him in the head a few times. I raised the taser, ready to deliver.

There's something they don't tell you about revenge, though. They tell you that revenge won't make you feel better, that it eats away at you, that it's God's place to avenge, all of that stuff. And it's true. But they don't tell you how hard it is to actually murder someone in cold blood, no matter how much you hate them.

I returned the taser to my dress.

Ivy would have given me an earful over it anyhow. He'd get his payback in the afterlife – hopefully. Whenever that happened.

I slipped into the shadows. When you're trying to hide, being below most people's eye level helps tremendously.

I dropped down behind a large crate in a dark hallway.

My stomach growled. I hadn't eaten in ages – I think the last time was before the concert. How long ago had that been? Two days? Maybe?

I pulled the jacket tighter around myself. They'd be after me in a minute. What should I do now?

That plan could have been thought through better. Just a _bit_ better.

"Find her!" yelled a voice.

I decided now would be a good time to move on.

The only person here who would help me is Skye. And she would be meeting with her dad.

At least Skye _had_ parents. A parent. I would give a lot to have that right now – even if they were crazy murderers.

I _did_ have a brother – one who was probably doing all he could to find me – but it's not exactly the same thing, is it? I would have done something to contact him, but I didn't have any way to contact him, especially not at that moment.

"There she is!"

I have never run so fast in my life.

I picked up my skirts and sprinted down the hall, grabbing for my tazer, then crashed directly into someone.

Ward grabbed me, picking me up off the ground. I kicked at him, my knee finding a target where it hurt. He held on.

I head butted him. "Let me go, Ward, and I might help you protect Skye!" I growled at him.

He stared at me for a moment. "What happens to Skye?" He yelled in my face, starting to shake me.

"Stop that and call off the others and I'll tell you."

He stopped shaking me. He lowered me to the ground, keeping a tight grip on my arm with one hand, and motioned to the other HYDRA agents. They left without a sound.

"What happens to Skye?"

I looked into his eyes for a moment. "Who bit you, Agent Ward?"

"_What happens to Skye_?"

"Who bit you? You're not supposed to have those scars on your face." 

"Ivy. What about Skye?"

"I have no idea." I head butted him again. "I haven't watched _Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D._ for ages. Been in the wrong universe."

I pulled away and ran. Getting head butted twice will disorientate you a bit – the only reason that plan could have possibly worked.

Well, actually, it didn't work.

Ward grabbed me around the middle, picking me up off the ground and throwing me up against a wall.

I've been punched before. I've never been physically beaten like that, though, not up until that moment.

Ward's fist smashed into my face again and again. The skin split on the first punch. On the second one, I started screaming.

It was probably only just how much pain I was in that saved me. My screaming alerted everyone within hearing range.

A door slammed.

"_What are you doing_?" screamed Skye.

Ward let go and I slumped down against the wall. Ward continued his attack, kicking at me as Skye pulled him back. His foot connected with my ribs. Something snapped.

Skye started screaming at Ward. I won't repeat anything that she said because it would have to be censored.

I felt as if every bone in my face was broken. Several were, actually.

Someone grabbed my shoulder, pulling me up into a sitting position. A set of hands began to inspect my face. I couldn't quite make out faces. Voices weren't that clear either.

"Anywhere aside from the face?" asked a male voice.

"Kicked me a few times. I think one of my ribs is broken."

He checked. "Yes." He stood up. "She's going to need a thorough examination and medical attention."

"I sincerely doubt I'm worth it."

"Aren't you one of them?"

I couldn't stop myself from laughing. Pain shot through my rib. "Yeah… no. I'm not in the habit of working for Nazis."

"_I am not a Nazi_!" yelled Ward.

"Yes you are!" said Skye.

This could go on for a while.

I would have tried to make an escape if I could have stood upright. As it was, I sat propped up against the wall, wanting to be pretty much anywhere else.

Footsteps sounded nearby.

"Not now!" yelled Ward. 

The footsteps retreated.

Ward turned his attention to me. "You lied."

"Yeah. And if you're going to criticize me for it, I'd take a long look in the mirror first."

"It's just like Ivy's here." 

I twisted around to look up at him. "Don't you _ever_ say a word about Ivy. She was worth ten of you. More than ten. She at knew what the right thing was and tried to do it. You, on the other hand, either don't have a clue or just don't want to."

Ward grabbed me and and raised his fist to strike.

Skye grabbed his arm and physically yanked it backwards.

"Ward, may I just say that any desire you have to date Skye is not being helped right now?"

I'm surprised he didn't beat me to a pulp for that.

Instead, he let go, setting me down and backing away. "Have you got a death wish?"

"I _did_ watch your business associates murder my parents, after all. Is it so unbelievable?"

"You did _what_?" demanded Skye. 

"_I_ didn't have anything to do with it. And I saved your life."

"For which I'm grateful, but as far as I'm concerned, the whole HYDRA thing means we're both even."

"You barely even knew me."

"I should have kicked you a little harder when you attacked me at that gas station. The only real unearned forgiveness in this world comes from God. You have to pretty much earn everyone else's. Sorry."

Something touched my face. I batted at it.

"Just trying to get some of the blood off," said Skye.

"Sorry. I can't see very much right now."

"Like I said, when is that doctor coming?"

Hopefully never. I didn't want to see another member of HYDRA as long as I lived. Maybe after I died, I'd like to see one. Maybe.

And then I passed out.


	6. Chapter 6

Ivy here.

Turns out, when you own an awesome scientific teleporter, you don't need to wait for little things like entrance plans and infiltrations into top secret enemy bases.

Turns out you probably should any way, though.

I teleported directly into the base with the intention of pulling Ariel out and getting as far away as possible.

And I teleported straight into the hall where Ariel, Ward, Skye/Daisy and her father were.

There was a long pause. Everyone stared at me for a moment.

Awkward. "Hi, everybody," I said.

"Iv – Fortune Seller?" Skye/Daisy's voice squeaked.

"Hi, Skye."

"Her name's not Skye!" yelled her father.

"Sorry, Daisy's dad, force of habit."

Ward grabbed for my arm.

I punched him in the stomach so hard he staggered back a few paces.

"Ivy?" said Ward. "Why are you wearing a wig?"

Was the wig _that_ horrible of a disguise? And why didn't he know I was dead? "Long story."

Ariel wasn't moving.

"What happened to Ariel?"

"Ward," said Skye.

I saw red.

The next thing I saw was the back of Ward's head, and my hand twisting his arm at a _very_ painful angle. "Give me one reason, Ward, why I shouldn't break your arm. _One_." I twisted a little harder.

"Because it's against your rules."

To break his arm now might mess something up.

I _hate_ it when other people are right. Absolutely hate it.

I let go. "I'll be elsewhere, Ward. Don't send anyone after me. Don't tell anyone I was here. Especially not Ariel, she thinks I'm dead, long story. And if you're ever tempted do so – or to lift so much as a _finger_ against Ariel again, remember that I can time travel. And I know a bit of your past."

Ward nodded, rubbing the arm I had twisted.

I couldn't leave Ariel here. Not with Skye's dad and Ward. I don't trust either as far as I can throw them.

I wrapped an arm around Ariel's waist, pulling her up off the ground, and pressed a button on my teleporter.

I found myself standing in a dark room next to Fitz and Simmons. "How's it going?"

Both screamed.

"Sorry, that was unintentional."

"You're going to give one or the both of us a heart attack!" said Simmons.

"I know. Sorry. I'm used to people not noticing."

Simmons stared at me for a moment, then shook her head. "Keep that up and you'll probably have to get used to people dying of shock."

"Like I said. Sorry." I set Ariel down.

Simmons dropped down and started looking her over. "Who did this?"

"Ward. Don't worry, he'll get what he deserves _really_ soon." Courtesy of Skye/Daisy/Quake.

"She needs a doctor's attention," said Simmons. "I assume you can get her to a doctor?"

I nodded and pressed a button on my teleporter. Nothing happened. I tried again. Still nothing. I groaned aloud.

"I can't. The teleporter's stopped working."

"Brilliant," muttered Simmons. "She's not quite in danger of bleeding out, but if she's unconscious, he might have done some damage to her brain. Or, possibly, it could be from pain. Did you see exactly what happened?"

"No. I just found Ward and Skye and Skye's dad – it's complicated, don't ask right now."

Ariel moaned. "What... happened?"

I quickly adjusted my wig.

"Do you remember everything?"

"Yeah. Ward used me as a punching bag. Kind of... hurt." Her words were slurred together. "Probably shouldn't have tricked him." She squinted at me. "Am I dead?"

"I don't think it hurts after you die," I said.

"Oh. Right. Sorry, you just reminded me of someone I know who's dead."

I glanced at FitzSimmons. They were both staring at me in horror.

"Do we die?" asked Simmons.

"Not that I know of," I replied.

Simmons gave a sigh of relief. She bent over Ariel. "She's unconscious again."

I turned my attention to Fitz. "Any idea what might be wrong with this?" I handed him my teleporter.

"What does it do?"

"It teleports me and time travels. It was a gift from the Doctor."

He nearly dropped it. "What?"

"A gift. To help me look for... someone. And run my business."

"If I didn't fix it would the Doctor show up?"

The room froze.

"Seriously, Agent Fitz?"

"It was just a thought."

There was a whirring sound. A blue police phone box stood behind us.

Simmons screamed. Fitz screamed.

The door opened.

Both Fitz and Simmons _pounced_ on the poor Doctor.

"You're real!" squealed Simmons.

"You're here!" squealed Fitz.

The Doctor stared at me. "What?"

"Meet your fans, Doctor. The Whovians."

FitzSimmons were both talking nonstop, absolutely _gushing_ over the Doctor. I've never seen two people more excited in my life.

It took a _solid ten minutes_ to detach Fitz and Simmons from the Doctor. I'm not exaggerating.

"Can I see your watch please, Ivy," said the Doctor.

I handed it over.

FitzSimmons had switched to staring in awe.

"What kind of fans are they?" asked the Doctor.

"Fans of your show."

"Ah, yes, you told me about that when I took you to Midnight. Is the show any good?"

FitzSimmons assured him that, indeed, it was an excellent show.

"Ivy, you didn't tell us you'd been to Midnight!" Simmons looked at me reproachfully. "You should tell us things like that."

"I was dead, remember?"

"Oh. Right. You helped her, didn't you, Doctor?"

"Of course I did. Did a fine job of it too until she decided to visit America again."

"I wasn't exactly intending to run into them. But we're all fine, thanks. I took a quick stop and dropped him off at his baby sitter's. Normally I like him to be near me, but in this case I thought it safer that he be with a baby sitter." I hated for him to be out of my sight, but since his baby sitter is usually Mrs. Watson (from _Sherlock_) I don't worry too much.

The baby sitting is from a deal I made with John, Sherlock and Mycroft. Long story short, Mycroft wanted information from the Fortune Seller, I gave it to him for some money. Sherlock found out, got interested and located my apartment. Dr. Watson and his wife got involved, and I gave Sherlock some information on Moriarty in return for Mary's services as a baby sitter when ever I needed them. We live in the same apartment building, so it's no trouble to drop Phillip off, and Mrs. Watson thinks he's adorable.

"A quick stop in London?" repeated Agent Simmons.

"Teleporter. The thing's awesome."

"And that's all fixed," said the Doctor, strapping it back onto my wrist. "Be more careful with it next time, Ivy. Second time you've broken this."

"Thanks, Doctor. I'm sorry about that."

FitzSimmons didn't look sorry that it had happened at all.

He stepped toward the TARDIS.

They practically tackled him with their attentions, telling him again how wonderful he was and how long they had wanted to tell him those things.

I wasn't sure who I felt more sorry for – FitzSimmons, for seeing the Doctor go so soon, or the Doctor, for having them cling to him like that.

The Doctor gently disentangled Fitz, pried Simmons off, and stepped through the door. "Bye!"

The TARDIS whirred and vanished.

FitzSimmons stared at me. Both were in shock.

Their comm sounded. "Agent Simmons? Agent Fitz?"

They did nothing.

"Hello?"

"You should probably deal with that," I said.

Fitz answered. "Yes, sorry, Director."

"Are you okay?"

FitzSimmons fanboy/fangirling reply would have lasted for hours if Director Coulson hadn't cut them off at the three minute mark.

"Where's Ivy?"

"Right here."

"We're in. Skye's father is going to go after Dr. Whitehall."

"Do what you need to. I neither like Dr. Whitehall nor need him to continue the story line."

"Have you _ever_ liked anyone who's been working against us?"

I shrugged. "I used to have a crush on Tom Hiddleston."

"Who's that?"

"The guy who plays Loki."

There was a long silence. I seem to have a talent for creating those.

"For the record, Tom Hiddleston has a _way_ different personality than Loki's." I also used to have a thing for Chris Evans. "Do whatever you need to."

Then I remembered something. Something very important. "But first, he and I are going to have a little talk."

I pressed a few buttons on my teleporter and found myself standing in front of him in a hallway.

He jumped.

"I'm here to talk, Dr. Whitehall."

"I've looked for you for months."

"Yes, well, I don't want to work with HYDRA. However, I might make an exception."

He waited.

"I'll looking for my daughter. Where is my daughter?"

"I really don't know what you're talking about."

"I have sources, Dr. Whitehall. Don't lie to me. I know you have information about where she is. I want that information. In return, I might do you some favors."

"Favors like what?"

"If I told you, they wouldn't be favors anymore. I want my little girl back. You have what I want, Dr. Whitehall, and I have a world to offer you in return." If he helped me get her back, I would have set him up in an alternate dimension to live out the rest of his days, instead of getting shot now.

"Get away from him!" Skye's father advanced forward toward us. "I don't want to have to kill more people than I have to today."

A gun fired.

I clapped my hands over my ears and turned to see Director Coulson.

"You're welcome!" said Director Coulson.

Skye's dad attacked him.

I momentarily debated the wisdom of helping, then realized it would probably get me beaten senseless. As much as I would have liked to help, I have a son to take care of and no death wish.

I ran forward anyway, wrapping my arm around Skye's father's throat and pulling him backwards.

That did absolutely nothing but earn me a blow to the stomach which sent me staggering back against the wall. My head smacked the wall hard and I saw stars.

He continued beating on Director Coulson.

"Do you think this is what Daisy would want you to do?" I yelled.

He froze.

Skye/Daisy/Quake/Whatever her name is now burst in.

"Stop it! Stop it or I'll shoot! Dad!"

"He took something from me."

"No. He saved you from killing more people. Now, get up and get away from him."

"You have to finish what we started."

"No, I don't. I'm not going down there. I'm not gonna change or transform or whatever you think is gonna to happen."

"Why can't you see it's a good thing?"

"Maybe it's all the dead bodies laying around or the fact that Hydra wants it. I'm gonna make sure the obelisk never gets down into that city. And you're going to leave. This is your once chance to walk away. Or I will kill you."

"Okay. I'll go. But I'll be waiting for you. After you chance, no one else will understand. They'll be afraid. Change is terrifying. But I'm your father, and I love you. I will always love you, Daisy."

He left.

Skye dropped down next to Director Coulson, crying. Then she looked up at me. "Ivy, we need to get that obelisk."


	7. Chapter 7

Ivy here.

I kept up with Skye, sprinting down toward the entrance tunnel.

With my usual talent for thinking things through, I hadn't considered that I'd actually have to go down and be near that freaky obelisk.

We made it into the building alright.

I put a finger on my teleporter – just in case.

Raina stood in the center of the room, watching the obelisk.

"Raina, I don't know if I've ever said this before, but you're completely crazy," I said. "And coming from me, that really means something."

"I'm _not_ crazy." She addressed Skye. "Your whole life – our whole lives have been leading up to this moment."

"Sorry. I don't buy into the whole "this is your destiny" thing. We're taking the obelisk, and we're leaving. There's too many lives at stake." Skye stepped toward the obelisk.

"You got it all wrong. Whitehall, everyone has got it all wrong. This doesn't destroy. It gives life – new life. We finally get to find out what we become."

"I don't think I'll be becoming _anything_," I said. "And you might not like what you become."

"Who are you exactly?"

Oh, right. She hadn't seen me as the Fortune Seller. "Call me the Fortune Seller."

"Are you one of us?"

"I don't think so. And you're creepy."

"Why are you the Fortune Seller?"

"I know what you'll turn into, Raina. In a different circumstance, I'd sell you the information, but you don't have any money with you and I don't know if there's anything you could have for me in exchange."

"I remember Dr. Whitehall mentioning you. He thought you might be one of us. He thought the same of Ariel Dalton for a little while."

"Ariel Dalton doesn't have some kind of super power. I know how she learned to sing like that. It's all skill and training from a good teacher."

"Are you friends?"

"I saw the future while in the past."

"How _did_ she do it?" 

"That's her... _very_ personal secret. Mainly, though, I can say it took work. A _lot_ of work. Probably more hours of work a day than is healthy." Can't argue with results though.

"Back to the topic of the evil glowing alien thing," said Skye, "We have to get this out of here."

Raina stared at her. "Why would you do that? This is your destiny. Surely, someone who's seen your future would agree." She glanced at me expectantly.

"I don't believe in fortune. I believe in people making their own choices in life." However, Skye _not_ becoming an Inhuman could pose a problem...

I decided now was as good a time as any to make an exit.

"Skye, there's just one thing you need to know."

"And what's that?"

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." I pulled out a pad of paper and a pencil, writing down the number my clients contact. "Call this number when you need me – and I think you will. Very soon."

She stared.

Agent Triplett entered behind us.

"Skye, I need to leave. Right now." I pressed the paper into her hand.

I grabbed Agent Triplett's arm and hit my teleporter.

We emerged in the room with FitzSimmons.

Ariel was sitting up. FitzSimmons spun around simultaneously.

I grabbed Ariel's arm. "Sorry."

I hit the button again, and we were standing in the middle of my kitchen, in my tiny apartment in London.

There was a moment of silence.

"What... was that?" asked Agent Triplett.

"Just a moment, please."

I crossed to my cupboard and retrieved a syringe full of knockout drugs – courtesy of a customer.

I jabbed it into the back of Ariel's neck.

She twisted around. "What did you –" She collapsed onto the floor.

I don't think real life sedatives work quite that fast, but these are from an alternate universe, so I don't worry too much about little things like dosage.

"I apologize, Agent Triplett. The situation I find myself in is... complicated. The things is... you're supposed to be dead."

He just stared at me.

"I think I had better explain this over tea."

He said nothing as I put the kettle on, nor while I made the tea.

Over the peppermint tea, I explained everything to him. About how he was supposed to be killed when the Obelisk transformed Skye and Raina.

"So what are you going to do?"

"Pick up Phillip from his baby sitter. Come with me, please." I got up and walked to the door.

He followed, warily.

"Did the director tell you to just go along with whatever I said or told you to do?"

"Yeah."

Thank you, Director Coulson. I know you'll probably never read this, but still.

I knocked on my neighbor's door.

Mary Watson opened.

"Hello, Ivy. Phillip's just sleeping. He's been a very good boy, as always."

I followed her in. Phillip lay in the cradle I had provided.

"Who's your friend?"

"Just a visitor."

"Customer?"

"Not quite. Thank you."

We returned to my apartment, where I put Phillip back in his crib.

"You're now in the universe of _Sherlock_ – if you want, I can switch it, but you're not longer in the same universe with everyone else. You can now do whatever you like – or, if you want, I could take you back to your own universe and possibly destroy time."

"I'd rather not. And the universe is fine... I guess."

"I have money – I am, after all, a business woman now. I have a... contact who can set you up with a new apartment and a nice job doing whatever you like."

"Who?"

"Do you watch _Sherlock_?"

"No, though I've walked in on Simmons watching it a few times."

"Have you ever read the books?"

"Yes, I read the entire series years ago."

"In _Sherlock_, Mycroft is a politician. He and I have an... arrangement. He'll set you up with whatever you need, where ever you need it." I'm not going into the details of that happened. Let's just say it involves me giving them information that led to them clearing Sherlock's reputation while he was faking his death. Mycroft Holmes is a regular client... but of course, I can't say anything else. He probably has people monitoring everything I send – including these. I wouldn't like to get the person who types them out in trouble or anything. Myself, I'm not worried about – Mycroft can't do anything to me because I'll leave and he won't get any more from me. He's not willing to risk that – are you, Mr. Mycroft Holmes? I know you're hearing this. Don't worry, the people in the other universe think this is fanfiction and that it's not real, and no one from yours will ever see it.

"You're… very calm about this, Agent Triplett."

"Director Coulson made sure to tell us what to do if this kind of thing happened. Basically, do what Ivy says."

"Thanks. I'm sorry about all of this."

"I'd be dead otherwise, so I can't complain too much."

I made a brief phone call to another client who will remain anonymous, who agreed to set up an apartment in the States. I have _awesome_ contacts. Seriously. A phone call and I can get things done that take most people months. How cool is that?

Two hours later, Agent Triplett was on his way to America.

What else was I supposed to do? Let him die?

I turned my attention to Ariel. She had lain silently on my bed for the entire time.

Who to call? Her parents were dead, and she had no family that I knew of… oh, right.

I picked up the phone and dialed a number I hadn't used in months.

"Hello?" said a voice on the other end.

I couldn't respond for a moment.

"Who is this?"

I pressed a button which was supposed to garble my voice. "Hello, Agent Romanoff."

"Who is this?"

"Call me the Fortune Seller."

"I'm not interested in a horoscope or a palm reading or –"

"I'm not selling anything! I was wondering if you wanted to know where Ariel Dalton is." And by the way, I put as much stock in horoscopes and palm readings as I do in the Easter Bunny.

"Who are you and what do you want?"

"My name is… my business. As far as what I want, long story short, Ariel is with me right now. Sleeping. She's fine. I just wanted to know if you would like to come get her."

There was a long silence. "How exactly?"

"I'd ask you where you are right now if I thought you'd tell me – it would make things easier. Where do you want to pick her up from?" 

"What do you want?"

"To send her home, she's been through enough the last few days. How do you want me to bring her to you?"

"So I'm just supposed to agree to get her without knowing who you are, what you stand to gain from this, why I should believe you're not going to try to murder whoever shows up, and whether or not you actually have her?"

"Well… yes. Kind of. I have no proof because she's sleeping and…"

Ariel groaned.

"Never mind, she's waking up, hang on a second."

I set the phone down on the bedside table. "Hi, Ariel."

She looked up at me and frowned. "What… happened?"

"You fell asleep. Here, someone wants to talk to you."

I held up the phone to her ear.

"Hello?" A pause. "Yes, it's me. How can I prove it? Uh… the first time I ever met you was at a S.H.I.E.L.D. base. You kind of yelled at Ivy for something. Also, have you heard from my brother yet?" Another pause. "I'm… in someone's apartment. Yes, I'm fine. My head hurts, though, and I feel funny. What happened? I… don't want to talk about that right now. I just want to go home." She pulled her head away. "She wants to talk to you."

"At her friend Ivy's house. Five o'clock tonight."

I glanced at the clock. Four o' clock already. Lucky thing I own a teleporter.

"Alright." I hung up. "I'll be taking you home really soon, okay? But you need to sleep."

I got another sedative to make her sleep.

At ten to five, I half pulled her out of bed and teleported us to my house.

The place was empty. No family. No Bucky – though Miranda or Edward probably had him now. Still, it would have been nice to see him again. There's nothing quite like walking through the door and being greeted by a big, happy dog.

I set Ariel down in a chair.

Behind me, there was a tiny scratching sound.

I spun around, slamming my fist into the stomach of the person who had tried to sneak up on me.

A hand grabbed at my hair, but I deflected it before they could pull off the wig. They grabbed my arm, wrenching it hard.

I stomped on their leg and shoved them, sending them staggering back against the wall.

"All right, that's enough."

I angled myself to see both at once.

Former agents Barton and Romanoff had turned up to collect Ariel. They probably had a bunch of backup outside, too.

"Hi," I said. "Here she is, as promised. She's fine, just sleeping."

Barton dropped down next to her and immediately started inspecting to make sure she was okay. He frowned when he came to the injury on her head.

"I had nothing to do with that," I said before he could say anything.

"I suppose you had nothing to do with bruises on her throat? Or her face?"

"I have no idea how that even happened. I only managed to get her a few hours before I called you."

"Speaking of which, how did you?" asked Black Widow.

"It involved S.H.I.E.L.D. remnants, a few contacts of mine, and a favor. Besides, I'm a fan."

"And why did you call _me_?"

Oh… yeah. "I'm the Fortune Seller. I know things."

"Why do you call yourself that?"

"Because that's what I sell. Fortunes. Foreknowledge." I put my finger on the teleporter, just in case. "You've heard of me, of course." 

Barton picked Ariel up out of the chair and took her outside.

"It's really rather a long story," I said.

"I've got time," said Black Widow.

"I don't really. Look me up, you'll find out who I am soon enough. Bye." I pressed the button and found myself back at my hotel.

It was about time I got to investigating those bases.


	8. Chapter 8

Ariel here.

I woke up lying flat on my back. I opened my eyes to see what looked like the inside roof of a car above me. The car was running, moving forward.

I dimly remembered talking to the blond woman... what was her name, Irene Ward? Probably some relative of Grant Ward. What had happened?

Then I remembered her sedating me. Twice.

I shot up into a sitting position. A sharp pain lanced through my skull and I collapsed back, my head smacking against the glass.

The car stopped.

My hands grabbed at the door handle, twisting it, only to find it locked. I reached for the lock, but a hand grabbed my wrist, pulling me off.

"Ariel! Calm down!"

I froze – it was Clint.

I dropped my hand. "Sorry..."

I pushed the car door open, not planning to run this time. I just sat there, my legs dangling, feet barely touching the ground.

His door opened too.

Neither of us said anything for a while.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"Somewhere safe."

I climbed back in, shutting the door.

The ride was absolutely silent. He said nothing, and I said nothing. Trees flew past on either side of the car.

The "somewhere safe" was a house out in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by trees.

The walk from the car to the run down house felt like the longest of my life – I was absolutely exhausted. Every part of my body ached.

We entered through a side door, into the kitchen. It was a small room, with a table and chairs in the center. I sank down into one of the chairs.

He sat down in the chair next to me.

There was another long silence.

"Can you tell me what happened?"

"Some of it." I related the events of the last few days – mentioning that there were some remnants of S.H.I.E.L.D. who had helped me, and naming no names.

"Who was that Fortune Seller person?"

"I don't know. A fan of mine, apparently. She didn't explain much about herself. She has a baby boy, and I think she's British."

He stood up and walked to the sink. He filled up a glass of water and brought it back, setting it in front of me.

I hadn't had really anything to eat or drink for the last day or two. I drained the glass in one gulp.

My eighteen birthday came a few weeks later. Clint I stayed in the house for those weeks, planning what to do. I contacted everyone to say I was alive, don't worry. Edward even stopped by once, with music from the musical I was preparing for – Yeston and Kopit's _Phantom_ was opening up, and I guess they thought my name would give their musical a bit of much needed attention. They sent a message through Edward that if I needed to drop out, it would be perfectly understandable. I said I would stay on. My parents wouldn't have wanted me to drop out.

And that about wraps things up for now.

Ivy here.

That phone call from Skye came a day later.

I was just putting Phillip to bed when the phone rang. I had investigated the bases and discovered that, of course, they were a dead end. Just like everything else.

I left the room, stepping softly.

"Hello?" I answered in almost a whisper.

"_What is wrong with me_? WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME!"

I pulled my ear slightly away from the phone. "Skye, there is nothing I can do unless you are calm enough to listen to me."

"I AM CALM!"

"It's kind of hard to tell."

"What did that thing do to me?" She was obviously on the brink of panic – panic would be a huge problem.

I glanced back at the crib. "You know what, I don't want to talk over the phone about this. Always a chance of prying ears. Give me five minutes and I'll be there. Let them know, would you please?"

"Thank you."

"It's what friends do." Not sure how long that would last after this...

I hung up and walked down the hall to the Watsons'.

Mary answered the door. "Leaving again?"

"Yes, a friend needs help. I've just put Phillip down for a nap. I should, hopefully, be back in a few hours. You have the key?"

She nodded.

I walked back to my apartment.

I meant to teleport right in front of the unit where Skye was staying. Unfortunately, since my teleporter isn't all that accurate, I ended up on the other side of the room.

I ran across to her. "Skye."

"All right, you're here. Start talking."

"It's kind of complicated, Skye."

"No, no, no. You are _not_ doing that to me."

"Skye, I don't know a lot more than you do!"

"You know people, you have connections. You can TIME TRAVEL. You can't just do that to me!"

"Skye, I never said I _wouldn't_ tell you what I knew. It's not entirely insignificant, you know."

"Ivy!"

I spun around to see Agent May.

"What are you doing back?"

"Oh, Skye wanted to talk to me about what happened down in the city."

"Is there anything we need to know? Is something wrong with Skye?"

"No, of course there's nothing wrong with Skye." Nothing wrong with having powers.

She retreated, probably sensing I wanted to be alone.

I moved closer to the glass. "Listen. No one else can hear this, alright?" I glanced around and raised my voice. "Any eavesdroppers who know what's good for them will stop. Now."

"We're alone. No one wants to be near me right now."

"That would surprise me a lot."

"Us being alone, or no one wanting to be near me? I feel like some kind of leper."

"The us being alone. Look, Skye, you know how Raina was so focused on what you two would become?"

She nodded.

"This is what you become. That obelisk thing somehow transformed you into something. Gave you some kind of power, I think, I can't tell yet. I'm sorry, I really am. It won't be easy. But please just remember that you're _not_ a freak of nature or anything like that. You'll have someone visiting soon who can tell you more."

She stared at me. "And I can't... get rid of them? Get rid of these 'powers'?"

"I don't think so. Welcome to the club."

"At least you have cool powers."

I stepped back from the glass. "No. They kind of suck, actually. What's that thing they say in _Spiderman_?"

"_Spiderman_?"

Oh, right, Spiderman doesn't exist in Marvel yet. "It's... nothing. With great power comes great responsibility. And it just keeps coming. And coming. I don't even know if telling you was a safe or right decision."

"What do you mean, safe? You'd have let me sit in the dark all this time? You would let me suffer through this?

"If I had to."

Skye stared at me in horror.

"I'm not saying I'd ever_ want_ to do that, Skye."

"You'd just let me stay in the dark forever?"

"If I had to."

She just stared at me. The can on Skye's little table rattled. "You're... what are you? What kind of person can let people die and just say it's 'what they had to do'? Seriously, do you even _listen_ to yourself? What kind of sociopath –"

"_I'm not a sociopath_!" I screamed.

There was a moment of absolute silence.

"I sometimes wish I was a sociopath, Skye. I really do. I wish I couldn't feel things in that way. But I'm not. Believe me, all of this is the last thing I want. It's the last thing I ever wanted. But I have to put up with it now, no matter how bad it gets. This isn't about what anyone wants, it never was. It was about me trying to do what I thought was the right thing."

"How could this possibly be the right thing?"

I stared at her for a moment. "I don't know. How could letting people suffer and die be the right thing? And how could risking the suffering and death of countless others be the right thing either? I chose the lesser of the two evils. I'm not sorry you don't agree, since I've stopped caring what everyone else thinks a long time ago."

Skye's eyes widened slightly.

"I don't _want_ anything to happen to you, but there's other things I have to worry about too."

The can still continued rattling.

"I'm going now, Skye. I'm sorry all of this had to happen to you. But I'm not sorry about my life decisions. My life is too potentially short for that."

I pressed the button and ended up back in my apartment.

For a moment, there was silence.

I sank down onto the bed.

That was _not_ how I intended for that to go.

Was I in the right? Was I in the wrong? You could argue it either way.

I grabbed the pillow off the bed and threw it at the door.

My parents were dead. Ariel's parents were dead. My brother was in the hospital.

At first, it had been relatively easy to keep all the information to myself. Now, more and more of my friends and family were getting hurt because of it.

If I were living in a musical, now would be the perfect time for an angsty, climatic song, by the end of which I would probably have some kind of answer.

The thought didn't quite manage to make me laugh, but it did make me smile.

I actually could go live in a world with musical numbers going on at random. _Les Miserables_ or _High School Musical_, maybe. I don't know.

Sadly, though, that's not how things work.

I stood up and glanced around my apartment. Almost Easter – perhaps I should get some lilies.


	9. Chapter 9

Ivy here.

It was a couple weeks after all of this that I received a visit from Bobbi Morse.

I had been out shopping for the afternoon, getting groceries, and returned to my little apartment with Phillip in a carrier on my back and three shopping bags in each hand.

I set down all of the bags and unlocked the door, then reached down for the bags.

"Here, let me get those, Ivy."

I spun around to see Bobbi Morse picking up my grocery bags.

I responded by punching her in the face.

The blow sent her staggering backwards against the wall.

"You... you..." I couldn't articulate my rage properly, so I slapped her again.

"Can we just talk about this inside, please?"

I picked up my bags and carried them inside.

She followed, shutting the door behind us.

"Let me guess," I said. "There's a team of 'real' S.H.I.E.L.D. agents who will bring me into the 'real' S.H.I.E.L.D. if I don't come with you peacefully."

She shook her head. "Just you and me."

"And I should trust your word? You lied to everyone." I'd known _something_ was going on, but I sort of thought it had to do with Hawkeye, I don't know... "I wanted to think the best, when I knew _something_ was going on. I wanted to like you. Now, I just want to lose my temper." My hands shook. "I let you near my _son_. Did you plant a tracker on him?"

"No!"

"You know where traitors end up? The innermost circle of Hell." For the record, Miranda told me that when she read Dante's _Inferno_. I don't think that's actually theologically correct.

"How do you know my real name?"

"We got it from the files."

And so they all knew now. Brilliant. Just brilliant. "The Fortune Seller has exactly one thing to say to anyone affiliated with the 'real' S.H.I.E.L.D. – they're all..." I searched for a word to express my indignation - "They're all short sighted and they're going to regret this. Eventually."

"It's the real S.H.I.E.L.D., as it was meant to be."

"Look. I'm tired. I don't have the energy to argue with you, but I will say this – if you think that deception and tricks are what S.H.I.E.L.D. was 'meant to be', you're wrong. Director Fury _chose_ Director Coulson as a successor. Your directors, instead of approaching Agent Coulson about their concerns, inserted moles and spies into his organization to steal his secrets. A person should do what they believe is right, but that is simply wrong."

"I know about Natalia."

I felt like I'd been punched in the gut. "How?"

"It wasn't in the files. But..."

"Simmons."

"She didn't tell me, or anyone. There was video footage we pulled... I'm sorry. No one knew."

"If you have something to say about finding Natalia, say it. If not, get out of my apartment."

"I might know a way to find her."

I raised an eyebrow. She couldn't... could she?

"Look, we went through all of Coulson's files. We know how your powers work – and S.H.I.E.L.D. has decided that you are not a threat for the present."

"Don't lie."

"They want to take you in. There's a team waiting outside."

"Of course there is – I wouldn't expect them to let you do this alone. While we're on that subject, S.H.I.E.L.D. is _not_ meant to kill and entrap the gifted. Only the dangerous ones, if necessary. _Not_ just any person who happens to have powers. And Gonzales is a hypocritical liar. He claims he wants transparency and honesty, then decieves and betrays. Instead of, you know, _talking to Director Coulson like somebody with HONEST intentions would_!" My voice rose to a shrill scream.

She shook her head. "I don't want to talk about this with you right now, Ivy."

"Alright. But I am prepared for this problem, Ms. Morse."

"Agent Morse."

"No. Ms. Morse. If you can consider Coulson's S.H.I.E.L.D. to not be S.H.I.E.L.D., I can do the same to you."

She didn't press the point. "What's your plan?"

"Well, I have several. Since I'm not fond of the idea of calling in favors and having all of your men taken out – my neighbors down the hall would be upset at the noise, Mrs. Watson is expecting, you see – I'll simply transfer to a different apartment, in another city."

"You have more than one?"

"I have a steady stream of customers. They all pay well. I have several hiding places scattered across the globe, and I can be there at the touch of a button."

"Hear me out, okay? I talked to your friend Edward – as in, I, on my own, S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't know about it – and he told me the circumstances. He thought I knew, he was under the impression that you kept Coulson informed about everything."

I'd forgive Edward for that one, I'd never given him reason to believe otherwise. He'd never do anything to undermine me.

"And you're willing to cut me some kind of deal. I help you, you help me."

"No. We actually have a pretty good idea of who it was."

My jaw dropped.

"HYDRA agent. When they were interrogating you, he was on premises. He was barely involved in the … interrogation itself, but he was there. Somehow, the two of you brushed against each other or something and he got the energy you travel between universes on. Edward was vague on the details about what happened, but the way it seems to us, he somehow got transported to that planet, realized what was going on, and took revenge on you in the way he could. Then he somehow ended up here. He's dead now – he knew too much. Dr. Whitehall killed him."

I pulled off my blond wig and set it on the table. Stupid thing.

"When I found everything out, I did a little digging for you. As it turns out, your daughter had some of the energy on her too – from you holding her, I suppose."

"Where is she?"

"I can't answer that. It's all universes and dimensions and things far beyond me. But doesn't just look in this universe. Try some others. Working with you... some things have fallen through."

"Like what?"

"I used to think _Heartland_ was a TV show, until I ended up in the middle of it on my last mission."

"You watch _Heartland_?" I don't like horse shows myself, but Ariel had made me sit through a few episodes.

"Anyhow, apparently there's a criminal named Raymond Reddington who works with the FBI. Try contacting him."

Once upon a time, I would have _laughed_ at the idea of making any business for a criminal like that. But If he knew something... "Why do you suggest him?"

"Long story. But he might be able to help. He could probably provide more help than S.H.I.E.L.D. If we had anything for you, I'd offer to trade if for information."

"Aren't you supposed to be arresting me and bringing me in?"

She shrugged. "In sixty seconds, they'll be bursting through the door. I'd get moving if I were you."

I picked up Phillip, wrapping him in his blanket, then walked into my bedroom and pulled my emergency bag from under my bed. "Thank you, Ms. Morse. There's ice in the fridge to put on the swelling in your face."

"Thanks."

"Oh, and when my neighbors – the Watsons – show up, feel free to tell them the truth, they knew about what I was up to. No, they don't know where I'm going, do _not_ interrogate them or anything like that. I will find out if you do."

I pressed one of the buttons on my teleporter.

The next moment I stood in the little apartment I'd bought in New York.

It was small – a tiny kitchen/dining room with a bedroom off of it. Not spacious. I could have bought a larger one, but had wanted to stay off the radar. This way, I looked like a single mother with a small source of income.

I pulled sheets off the crib I kept waiting and placed Phillip in it.

There went my London apartment. Ah well. Maybe Mrs. Hudson would rent out something to me in a few months, once they stopped looking for me in London. Dr. Watson might put in a good word for me.

I glanced around. There was little furniture – I would have to deal with that, of course. Arrangements could be made. The dust would need to be cleaned up.

I dropped the bag and began to unpack.

This apartment needed to be my home now.

Flowers. I should get some flowers. I needed a hobby, something to occupy time when I was at home. I missed flowers – we used to have tulips everywhere on the front lawn. I love tulips. They die every year, but they just keep reappearing every year. They just don't seem to die, do they? I'd have to find out if they could take being grown inside. Too bad I'd left my Easter lilies back in London.

I'd need a new name, of course. My old one wouldn't do. And there was no chance I'd use my initials this time. Something unique, something no one would connect with me... Rebecca. Rebecca Brown. That would be nice. Rebecca was a pretty name.

I only tell you this, of course, because you are just people on the internet who will almost certainly never actually _meet_ me. If you do meet me, tell me you're a reader of these stories at once.

I guess that's all for now. Just thought I'd fill you in on a few important details. No, as of yet, Skye and I haven't talked since our argument. I considered visiting, but didn't want to get her in trouble, there's been enough of that. Besides, I don't really know how to find the place.

And here's where I sign off. I'll have to dig out the name of that person Miranda sends these recordings to.


End file.
